Crossing the EU borders

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, you will need to prove your identity and present official papers to border guards/authorities when you enter the EU for the first time.

These official papers can be different, depending on where you come from, your nationality , the reason you are visiting, how long you plan to stay and the border control rules in the EU country you are going to.

On these pages you will find details about what to expect at the first EU border you come to when you arrive from a non-EU country, whether by air, sea or land. You must remember that you should always come to the EU via a legal border where checks take place.

You will also find links to information on the risks of coming to the EU without these proper documents, and therefore illegally, on how to avoid these risks, and on the protection that is available in the EU in case you are a victim of human trafficking.

If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, you may need a visa to travel to an EU country for periods of up to one year.

A visa is a sticker affixed in your travel document issued by an EU country which allows you to enter and remain in that country for a certain period of time. It may also let you travel to other European countries.

Generally you must apply in advance for a visa. You need to do this at the embassy or consulate of the EU country you wish to visit. If this country does not have an office in your country, you can apply at an office of another EU country in your country.

Your visa application must normally include a photograph and a valid travel document such as a passport. As supporting documents you should add proof of income, accommodation and/or sponsorship. Proof of sponsorship is a form signed by the person inviting you, in which this person takes responsibility for you, including the provision of accommodation and the coverage of other expenses.

Yes. Your travel and residence documents may be examined during routine identity checks while you travel within the EU.

Once I am legally in one EU country, can I travel to other EU countries?

That depends. There are different rules based on your nationality, the country you are travelling to and the type of visa and/or permit you hold. Find more information on moving legally between EU countries.

Risks of entering an EU Country illegally

People enter and stay in an EU country without authorisation despite their best intentions, and sometimes against their will.

What will happen if I enter an EU country illegally?

If you enter an EU country without permission, for example by evading border controls or by using fake documents, you could risk being sent back to your country.

If you enter the EU as a victim of human trafficking, which is the illegal trade in human beings, you could be subject to forced labour, sexual exploitation or forced to engage in criminal activities.

All EU countries control and monitor their own border crossing-points via land, sea or air.

These national efforts are complimented by the work of the EU border control agency Frontex. Frontex trains national border guards and coordinates activities by EU countries to ensure the security of the EU's external borders.

A proposed European System of Border Surveillance (EUROSUR) will help EU countries to develop their surveillance capabilities. The aim is to help prevent illegal border crossings and reduce irregular migration, which often has tragic consequences. It will also help to improve the EU's internal security by preventing cross-border crimes.

Do EU countries share information about travellers who are non-EU citizens?

Yes, as the EU has common external borders, the countries share information about non-EU citizens who travel to and from the Union. They include:

The SIS is a shared database of information on individuals and objects of interest to EU countries. Its purpose is to support police and judicial co-operation, manage external border controls and maintain public security. All EU countries can create entries on the database, called "alerts," on missing people, people wanted for extradition or arrest, and people who are needed in relation to criminal cases or public security threats. They can also create alerts on property for seizure or use in criminal proceedings.

EU countries, excluding Ireland and the United Kingdom, can create alerts for people who are not authorised to enter or stay in the EU.

When you cross an external border into an EU country (excluding Ireland and the United Kingdom), the immigration authorities will automatically check to see if you are the subject of a SIS alert.

What kind of information is held about people with SIS alerts?

The personal information that can be held in the SIS is limited. It can include a person's name, sex, nationality, date and place of birth, fingerprints and distinguishing physical features. It can also include information about whether the person is armed, violent or on the run.

Details about people's ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health status or sexual orientation are not allowed to be stored in the SIS.

What happens if an alert shows up for me on the SIS?

Depending on what the alert looks like, you may be refused entry to the country, arrested, moved to a safe place or checked.

For example, if you do not have permission to enter or stay in the EU, you will not be able to cross an EU external border into an EU country. If you are sought for extradition or are the subject of a European Arrest Warrant, you could be arrested. If you are a missing person, you may be brought to a safe place while the authorities in your home country are contacted.

All SIS alerts are processed through a network of national offices in each EU country. These so called SIRENE offices are contact points between officials in the EU country which has created a SIS alert and those in the EU country where the people or objects in question are found

The VIS is a shared database with information on all people who have applied for short-stay visas to visit or pass through Europe's border-free travel zone, the Schengen area. The VIS allows EU countries to exchange data on short-stay visa requests and decisions on refusal, extension, annulment or withdrawal of visas. When you present your short-stay visa to the border authorities of the first Schengen area country you enter, your details will automatically be cross-checked in this shared database.

The VIS started operations on 11 October 2011 in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morroco and Tunisia). After North Africa, the VIS will be deployed in the Near East and then in the Gulf region. The VIS will be gradually rolled-out region by region until all Schengen States' consulates worldwide are connected. The United Kingdom and Ireland will not take part in this process.